Who The F#@K is B.o.B.? That was the question on everyone’s mind after B.o.B. aka Bobby Ray graced XXL Magazine’s December 2008 cover dedicated to hip hop’s Freshman class of ’09 with fellow up and comers Kid Cudi, Mickey Factz, Blu, Ace Hood, Wale, Curren$y, Corey Gunz, Asher Roth, and Charles Hamilton. B.o.B. tried to provide the answer to this question, with his mixtape of the same name, Who The F#@K is B.o.B.?, hosted by ATL mixtape heavyweights DJ Scream, DJ MLK, and DJ Spinz.
The mixtape was well received, and featured some of B.o.B.’s best work to date, such as “Generation Lost,” seen below, where B.o.B. takes a serious look at hip hop and life in Atlanta:
With this track, B.o.B. points out that kids are too often given the wrong impression of hip hop success as well as brainwashed by TV, radio, and their surroundings to become the stereotypical hip hop artist or fan. However, he does not solely preach on this record, rather he admits that he too had a grill, got tattoos, and tried to have dreads all because he was convinced that that was what he had to do to fit in. (A bold statement that I think we can all relate to, but then again is there anything cooler than having a gold grill??!)
The pressure on B.o.B. to be “cool” even forced him to create the stage name B.o.B. over using his birth name Bobby Ray. Commenting on this situation B.o.B. states:
“Its easy to see we created a beast,
cause everybody wants to hear what they don’t need,
And now all the rappers got to struggle to give you,
That bullshit music so they can continue to live,
The position that I’m in, is quite an interesting predicament I will admit,
But you can count on me, cause I’m refusing to give in,
Cause Imma give you music cause we need it to exist, bitch.”
It is sad that meaningful music is so often overlooked or ignored in an effort to make money with thoughtless ignorant hip hop. That is not to say that fun, carefree hip hop does not have its place in this world, but to overindulge in one aspect of the hip hop culture as we currently are doing is dangerous. Like B.o.B. pointed out with that quote, rappers often have to choose between making the music they believe in, or making the music that the general public has been brainwashed to love through radio and TV. Sadly, we all know which choice is often the most financially rewarding.
Another standout track on the Who The F#@K is B.o.B.? mixtape is “I’ll be in the sky,”which despite being extremely radio friendly, carries a positive message and allows B.o.B. a chance to explain to his fans how seriously he takes his music. In the video, seen below, which shows Bobby Ray struggling with his stage name and persona B.o.B., he states that “gold teeth don’t go with a suit,” And that “since nobody wants to be responsible, I’m going to have to be the one to show them!”
B.o.B. uses that track to challenge the traditional concept of a southern hip hop artist, showing how dumb it is to try and be something your not by following the negative stereotypes that go along with being a rapper. Other stand out tracks on the Who The F#@K is B.o.B.? mixtape, which can be heard below are: Wait Your Turn, Fuck You, and On Top of the World.
Having had so much success on the radio and TV, “I’ll Be in the sky,” was posed to be the first single off B.o.B.’s debut album, The Adventures of B.o.B., until the album’s release date got pushed back from this past spring to the upcoming fall. This delay in the album’s release was caused by B.o.B. wanting to rethink the direction he was taking with the project.
It seems that a major part of this rethinking has to do with how B.o.B. wants fans to perceive both him and his music. B.o.B. has stated on a number of occasions that he does not want to be forced into a certain sound or sub genre of hip hop, but would rather make the music that he wants, whether that be with his guitar, keyboard, beat box, etc. He also feels that B.o.B. is simply a persona, where as Bobby Ray is his true self and that with Bobby Ray he has no limits regarding his creativity. This inward debate surfaced (In a very similar way to T.I.’s inward debate between T.I. and T.I.P.) with B.o.B.’s latest mixtape entitled B.o.B. vs Bobby Ray.
This mixtape’s lead single, “Put Me On,”(seen below) is a creative remake of the A Tribe Called Quest song “Bonita Applebum.”
The track’s lyrics and video serve as a great example of how major corporations can have their products succesfully placed in hip hop songs & videos. Reebok teamed up with B.o.B., who has also worked with major clothing line LRG, to create this track that subtly promotes Reebok Classics. (The video also has more boom box stereos than I thought still existed!)
Other stand out tracks on the B.o.B. vs Bobby Ray mixtape, which can all be heard below, are wonderland, satellite, I am the man, Mr. Bobby, and Change Gonna Come.
Outside of his mixtapes, B.o.B. has recently gained some fans with the accidentally leaked track “Don’t Break My Heart.”
With this song, B.o.B. decided to sample the classic song “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations. Everyone from ODB to Rhymefest has had fun rapping over this sample at one time or another, and B.o.B. decides to makes this track into a hilarious love song while keeping true to the timelessly catchy hook. This track has great crossover appeal to non hip hop fans and was most likely going to be a single off of B.o.B.’s upcoming major label release before it was leaked. (Hopefully it still will still make the album!)
If you want to explore some of B.o.B.’s earlier music, feel free to give the following mixtapes a spin: Hello My Name Is B.o.B., B.o.B. the future, and Cloud 9.
This 20 year old MC has an extremely dedicated hustle, as well as a powerful force behind his music with influential hip hop figures such as Jim Jonsin (Grammy award winning producer and founder of the Rebel Rock record label), TJ Chapman (CEO of TJ’s DJ’s, owner of FLAHustlers.com, and B.o.B.’s co-manager), and B.Rich (B.o.B.’s co-manager, manager of Playboy Tre, and owner of ATLHustlers.com) backing him! If that wasn’t enough, B.o.B. is also signed under T.I.’s Grand Hustle label.
B.o.B. shows us that it pays to be yourself. If he were just another rapper who fell into the pressures of wanting to fit in, I doubt we would be listening to his music now!
